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Seedy Saturday, the annual seed-swapping event in Lewes, took place on 1 February 2025, coinciding with Imbolc: the Celtic festival that marks the beginning of spring. At this turning point in the season, a flurry of excited anticipation filled the air as people got their hands on the seeds they plan to sow, sharpened their gardening tools, or simply enjoyed the atmosphere.

“It is a celebration of being alive” – Susanne Wolf, Seedy Saturday organiser.

Seedy Saturday Lewes began in 2007 with a few marquees in Southover Grange Gardens before moving to its current home, Lewes Town Hall, a few years later. Today, dedicated group of volunteers run the event with support from Common Cause and funding from Lewes Town Council. The group is committed to gardening in a way that cares for the environment and wildlife, and to fostering local businesses, expertise and knowledge.

The ethos is clear to see in the range of stallholders set up alongside the all-important seed-swapping table. Sussex Wildlife Trust, The Compost Club, The Railway Land Trust, Plumpton College, Landport Community Garden – and many more organisations engaged in nature conservation, community growing and education – mingled with plant conservation experts, makers, growers and garden designers.

Seed-swapping enables a variety of unique plants and vegetables to spread further and flourish in new places. Many unusual and heritage seed varieties are preserved by small-scale growers while commercial farming favours hybrid varieties that are used just once. This was not always the case: farmers would traditionally collect and save their seeds from year to year, preserving an unbroken line between past and future. Their open-pollinated seed varieties would also provide food for creatures including bees, birds and bats. Through sharing and cultivating seeds, people can connect with nature, the land, history and culture – and with each other.

In the context of seed-swapping, money loses its importance and community growing projects can thrive. With a strong attendance at Seedy Saturday, these projects can showcase their activities, recruit new members, sell or give away saved seeds and plants, and raise awareness of sustainable growing practices. Seeds that are leftover from the event are also shared with community growing projects – or donated to Seedy Sunday in Brighton.

While seeds are at the heart of the event, the social side is clearly a huge part of what makes the day so special. One of the organisers shared that her highlight of the day was seeing a young regular attendee who brought tree seeds one year, wildflowers another, and once even presented a painted seed box for a community centre. Attendees valued the opportunity to meet like-minded people that they wouldn’t ordinarily cross paths with.

Topsy Jewell, one of the event organisers and member of the Lewes District Food Partnership’s steering committee, shared that she is always amazed at the number of people that attend, the commitment of the stallholders, and the range of expertise and knowledge that Seedy Saturday brings together.

This year, over 1,000 people passed through the doors to swap or buy seeds, share knowledge, enjoy food by Seven Sisters Spices and tea and cake by Hamsey Primary School, and attend the two fascinating talks.

First to speak were Suzi Turner and Rosanna Catterall, who helped to establish the productive, organic market garden at the Knepp rewilding project in West Sussex. They talked about how to grow vegetables in a ‘wilder’ way: as a dynamic ecosystem. This involves keeping the soil healthy with minimal disturbance, using a diversity of plants, and making the most of seasonal vegetables to grow in a way that both produces delicious food and supports biodiversity.

The second talk was given by Collete Pavledis from Ashurst Organics, which has offered an organic veg box scheme for over 30 years. She shared the “joys and woes” of her personal experience as an agroecological farmer and reflected on the future of food and farming.

We are all looking forward to what the new growing season brings – and we look forward to once again seeing new and familiar faces at Seedy Saturday 2026!